Poems
by Jessica R Vance
Summary: Tanya Saluna, poet, stumbles upon Jessie and James one day. Can her poetry bring them together?


Poems  
  
By: Jessica R Vance  
  
Rating: PG for mildish adult implications.  
  
Summary: Tanya Saluña is a poet. She is sitting by a tree one day when she sees two people (Jessie and James) and a Meowth coming up the road. They stop and talk to her, and it seems that James has read some of her published work and greatly admires her. So Tanya begins to travel with our favourite villains, because they have a week off. Soon she begins to use Jessie and James for inspirations for poetry. She gets to know both Jessie and James better, and soon, both admit their secret feelings for each other... to Tanya. What will Tanya do? How can she use her poetry to bring two wandering hearts together?   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Jessie, James, or Meowth, but I own Tanya Saluña, and every poem in here is mine, so I own them too. I also own the PoeMatic, the PC Tanya uses to send her poems to her publisher, Kurt Wills, whom I also own. I want one too. ;_; A PoeMatic, not a Kurt Wills.  
  
*Poems*  
  
I've always been a poet. For as long as I can remember, words, rhythms, and rhymes have been coming out of me. But I never dreamed that my poetry would help anyone. Not until one day…  
  
~  
  
I was sitting by a tree, working on my latest poem. It was about winter, and the children in the last town had been the inspiration for the current lines.  
  
Eager eyes peek above window panes  
Listening for bells on Santa's reins  
  
I was stuck there. While I was thinking, I heard voices coming up the path.  
  
"Aaahh… a whole week's vacation. What could be betta?"  
  
"You said it. I can't believe the Boss was this nice to us!"  
  
"Yeah, he musta finally flapped his lid!"  
  
Then laughter. It was two masculine voices. One was suave, almost British sounding at times, the other was a bad New York gangster accent. I had a hunch these two would be an interesting pair.   
  
Here they came, around the path. But all I saw was a young man (who was rather handsome) and a Meowth. Surely the Pokémon didn't…  
  
"'ey, look! Dere's someone up dere!" it said, pointing me out to the boy. It *did* talk! I almost dropped my teeth, but managed a grin at the two.  
  
"Hello," the boy said as I got up.  
  
"Yo," I replied, brushing the snow off my butt, "What's your name?"  
  
"James. Yours?"  
  
I smiled. "James. The supplanter. Nice name, very elegant. My name's Tanya. Tanya Saluña."  
  
James' green eyes widened at my name. "Tanya Saluña the poet?"  
  
Embarrassed that I couldn't just be known as Tanya Saluña, the girl one meets in the woods, I said, "Yeah."  
  
"I love your work!" James said enthusiastically, taking my hands. "'Something Discovered'! Oh, and 'The Dance'! Oh my… I love that poem! And here you are, right here!"  
  
I gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah… here I am!"  
  
"Gee, James, first girl you meet that's not me and you're already holding hands," came a voice. I looked around to see a girl about James' age watching us with her hand on her hip. Though her voice had a playful air, her eyes shot daggers at me, like I was invading her territory.  
  
James blushed and dropped my hands. "It's not like that, Jessie, but… this is *Tanya Saluña*!"   
  
"Oh, that poet?" Jessie asked. I sighed. There it was again.  
  
"Yes, that poet." I walked up to her and stuck my hand out. "You James' girlfriend, Jessie?"  
  
She narrowed her eyes at me. "No," she said flatly, not shaking my hand. But I could tell. One look in her eyes and I could tell. She had strong feelings for James that she didn't want messed with.  
  
"Hey, no offense," I said. Fortunately, she didn't know I knew. "So where are you guys going?"  
  
"On vacation!" Meowth said proudly.  
  
"How is it you can talk?" I asked him, hoping for a story of mutation or something of that like.  
  
"I taught myself," Meowth replied.  
  
"Oh. Wow," Great. *That's* exciting.   
  
"Can I see what you're working on?" James asked me, nodding toward the notebook in my left hand.  
  
"Sure," I replied, handing it to him.  
  
~  
  
Winter  
  
The world is blanketed in white.  
The streets are cold and covered in ice.  
Breath hangs like mist in the frosty air.  
And children laugh without a care.  
Lights twinkle on Christmas trees.  
And the smell of snow drifts on the breeze.  
Eager eyes peek above window panes.  
Waiting for bells on Santa's reins.  
  
~  
  
"Personally, I think you could stop there," Jessie commented as we walked down the road. James had invited me to hang around with him and Jessie for a while and I had accepted. Now Jessie was reading what I'd done of Winter.  
  
"Ya think so?" I asked, looking at my poem. I had wondered about that. "It seems like there's… something missing in it."  
  
"I don't think so," she replied.   
  
"OK! Well then, another poem done!" I said triumphantly. I got out my PoeMatic and sent my poem to Kurt Wills, my publisher. After that, I looked at Jessie. "So what's up with you and James?"  
  
A look flashed through Jessie's expressive eyes. She and I had been on better terms lately, though every time I mentioned James she got edgy. "What do you mean what's up with us?" she asked coolly, "Nothing's *up* with us. We're just… good friends."  
  
"Ah, I see," I said, and continued walking. I knew better than to egg Jessie on. I had seen the effects of annoying her one too many times with James and Meowth. She had an extremely short fuse, and it didn't take much to light it.  
  
"Then again…" she began, "No, never mind. It's stupid. You wouldn't understand."  
  
"Jessie dear," I replied, "I'm a poet. I understand everything."  
  
Jessie raised an eyebrow at me, then headed over to a bench and sat down. I followed. "Have you ever loved someone and known there was no chance that they'd ever love you back?" she asked me.  
  
"Not especially. But I've known people who have."  
  
"Oh. Well… that's how I feel about…"  
  
"James?"  
  
Jessie sighed and looked downward. "Yeah."   
  
I nodded sympathetically. I had lied to Jessie. I knew exactly what she was going through. In my hometown, when I was 16, two years ago, I had met a boy named Devin. He and I were terrible rivals, both of us being poets. Somehow, over time, I developed feelings for him, which managed to turn into love. Devin also fell in love.   
  
With one of my best friends.   
  
I was heartbroken. Devin and I were still friends, but I knew there was no way he'd ever fall out of love with Emily, my friend. So I left. I got published eventually, and the excitement of that took my mind off Devin. But when I got a letter of congratulations from him and Emily, I broke down. Which lead to one of my best known poems.   
  
Yes… I knew precisely how Jessie felt.  
  
~  
  
All Eyes For Her  
  
All eyes for her,  
And not for me.  
I love you,  
Is that so hard to see?  
What does she have  
That I so lack?  
I love you,  
But only behind your back.  
You gaze at her,  
And give me no glance.  
Do we not have  
A single chance?  
You look at her,  
And not at me.  
What of that is  
So hard to see?  
  
~  
  
James sniffled. "That's such a sad poem!" He sniffed again and wiped his eyes with a tissue.   
  
Rolling my eyes, I grinned at him. "Thanks. It's supposed to be."  
  
James sniffed once more and asked, "How'd you come up with that?"  
  
I was silent for a moment, then said, "I didn't have to. It… it really happened."  
  
"You based it on yourself?"  
  
I nodded. James didn't say anything for a minute, then, "You think you could ever base a poem on me?"  
  
"Depends. Do you love Jessie?"  
  
James sputtered, "What?" I repeated myself and he said, "How… how'd you know?"  
  
"I'm a poet. I know everything. Yeah, I think I could base a poem on you."  
  
~  
  
How Do You Love Me?  
  
How do you love me?  
I need to know.  
I think you care  
More than you show.  
Three little words,  
That's all it takes.  
But still it causes  
Hearts to break.  
"I love you but  
we're just good friends."  
Will this torture never end?  
Every time you  
Say those words,  
I make sure of  
What I have heard.  
For behind all  
Those spoken lies,  
I see your feelings   
In your eyes.  
They ask if we're  
Together yet.  
We shake our heads,  
But you can bet,  
That one day we'll   
Be sure to smile  
While we are walking  
Down the aisle.  
But until then  
I'll have to see  
And ask you,  
"How do you love me?"  
  
~  
  
  
"Wow, that's good," Jessie told me.  
  
"Thank you. James inspired me to write it."  
  
Silver lightning flashed through Jessie's eyes at the mention of James' name linked with a love poem. "How so?"  
  
"Erm…" I felt myself sweatdropping, "I can't tell you. I'm sworn to secrecy." That was true. James had told me not to tell *anyone*, especially Jessie, how he felt.  
  
"You can tell me!"  
  
"Nope. Can't."  
  
"Well, if James can inspire you to write a poem, can I?"  
  
"What, inspire me or write a poem?"  
  
Jessie sighed in an exasperated manner. "Inspire you write a poem!"  
  
"Sure, it's easy. Just tell me why you don't tell James you love him."  
  
"Because A) he doesn't love me, B) he'll think I'm weak, and C) we're just friends, and if I tell him that, it'll ruin our friendship."  
  
"Too proud to tell him?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"I see."  
  
~  
  
Losing To Love  
  
You're my best friend,  
Should I lose you to love?  
But you are all  
That I dream of.  
Caring, gentle,  
Handsome, kind.  
I'm about to   
Lose my mind.  
You look at me  
In a certain way.  
I burst with words  
I just can't say.  
Damned pride! If it  
Would let me go,  
I'd find a way  
To let you know.  
You're my best friend,  
And now my love,  
Our future's what  
I'm dreaming of.  
  
~  
  
James mouthed the last few lines to himself and stared wide-eyed at the notebook. "Wow..." he muttered. He grinned lopsidedly at me and handed back my poem. "That's amazing, Tanya!"   
  
"You really think so?" I asked. He nodded and went back to pruning the rose bush that he had growing outside the cabin we were staying in. I watched him for a few minutes, then said, "James, what's your thing with roses?"  
  
He turned and looked at me, staring at me in a way that told me he had never really thought about it before. "Well..." he said, "When I was little... I really loved my parents' rose garden... it was the only part of my childhood I really enjoyed, apart from my Growly... roses... they're just beautiful flowers, you know? And all different colours mean different things. I think that's neat... and... well, red roses... they remind me of Jessie so much. Red on top, like her hair, and thorny... she once said "beautiful things can be painful," and she didn't know how much that really meant to me..."  
  
I stared transfixed at him. This rose thing was a poem just waiting to happen. "So... what do all the colours mean?" I asked, an idea forming in my head.  
  
"Well, you see," James began, "Red means..."  
  
~  
  
Roses  
  
Red roses symbolize true love,  
The fiery flow'r of passion.  
Give orange when you want to show  
You have a fascination.  
Lavender for enchantment  
And peach for modesty,  
Pink for perfect happiness  
And saying "Trust in me,"  
A darker shade of pink will show  
Your thankfulness tonight,  
For innocence and purity,  
Be sure to offer white.  
If a yellow rose is given,  
Know it's for friendship and joy,  
And red with white together   
Symbols unity enjoyed.  
So when a rose is given,  
During day or midnight hour,  
With this you will be sure to know  
It's much more than a flower.  
  
~  
  
"This reminds me of James," Jessie commented, handing me back my notebook. "I really like that one. James always carries a red rose."  
  
"I know," I said, "Stands for true love..." I added, hoping she would get the hint. Knowing what I knew about Jessie and James was about to kill me. They *had* to know!  
  
Jessie nodded. "Yeah... I know..." I sighed. They just... weren't... getting it. It was time for Tanya Saluña to take desperate measures...  
  
~  
  
Forever  
  
I've looked at your face for many a year  
I don't know if what's binding you is your fear,  
But I promise to take all of your doubts away  
If you just listen to what I have to say  
I'll love you forever, I promise it's true  
I want to spend all of my life with you  
I don't know why I didn't tell you before  
I've just been afraid that you'd close the door  
So meet me tonight where the river runs free  
And at seven, tell me that you love me  
  
~  
  
"Where the river runs free..." Jessie muttered to herself, "What's this?" She glanced around. Neither Tanya nor James was anywhere in sight. She shrugged and went back in her room to mull over the poem that had been slipped under her door.  
  
~  
  
Hurt  
  
I've caused you so much pain  
So many times, again and again  
I'm sorry for all the I've done  
I know now that you're the one  
Though I may not show it outside,  
It something that can't be denied  
So meet me by waters that flow  
At the hour of seven, you'll finally know  
  
~  
  
"Meet my by waters that flow... the river? That's the only place that makes sense..." James murmured. He was pacing back and forth in his bedroom, brooding over a poem that had been slid under his door only minutes earlier. He could only assume that it was from Jessie... Meowth certainly wouldn't call him "the one" and Tanya had never hurt him. But what did this mean? Did Jessie really love him? Was this a trick that Tanya was playing on him? But why would she do that? James could only guess and wonder until seven o' clock...  
  
~  
  
"I knew it... I knew it was a joke..." Jessie said, pacing back and forth. It was 7:15 and no one had showed up at the river yet. "Five more minutes..." she muttered, "And I'm going back inside..."  
  
Meanwhile, James had just made it to the river. Astonished to see Jessie there, he stayed hidden in the bushes, not sure what to do. "Should I go?" he asked himself. He thought about it, weighing the pros and cons. The biggest con was that it might very well be a joke... the biggest pro being that it might not be. Being the optimist that he is, James strode out into the clearing. "Jess?" he said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.  
  
Jessie whirled around to face him. "James!" she gasped. "You... you really did come!" James was thunderstruck. It *was* Jessie!  
  
"Oh Jess," he said, going to her and putting his arms around her waist. Jessie laughed happily and realized tears were running down both their faces. She held him like a lifeline, afraid to let go. James pulled back so he could face her, wiping her tears away with his thumb. "Jessie," he said gently. "When I got that poem..."  
  
He stopped at Jessie's questioning look. "What poem?" she said.   
  
"The poem you gave me. That said to meet you here, of course," James said. He struggled to keep his voice confident, though he was beginning to get worried.  
  
"I didn't write any poem," Jessie said, "*you* gave *me* a poem saying to come here." They stared at each other, letting what they had just discovered sink in. "Meowth?" Jessie guessed.  
  
"The poems were too good," James replied, shaking his head, "It must have been Tanya." Jessie nodded and layed her head on his chest.  
  
"So... does this mean you really don't..." she began. James tilted her head up with his finger and looked into her eyes.   
  
"Of course not," he said, "Jessie... I love you." They stared into each others' eyes for a minute longer, then leaned their heads forward and met in a sweet kiss. It began to intensify, and they sank to the ground, completely lost in each others' love.  
  
~  
  
In the bushes, I sighed happily. "About time," I muttered to myself, leaving the river to give my friends some privacy. I went into the cabin and sat on the couch, notebook in hand. Staring into the fire, I began to write.  
  
~  
  
Unity  
  
When two hearts are one  
Under one sky  
It's that kind of love  
That will never die  
When two souls are joined  
And meant to be  
It's that kind of love  
That we all should see  
When two lives are linked  
By one destiny  
It's that kind of love  
That we call unity.  
  
~  
  
*The End*  
  
::brushes hands together:: Welp, that's it! I hope y'all liked it! Every poem in here belongs to me, so don't take 'em... Hm... well, you know the drill on flaming and reviewing. JessicaVance@lovelornpoet.com See ya! 


End file.
